Structure fire

Just before midnight on Friday, Sept. 18, fire and rescue units from central and northern Shenandoah County responded to a structure fire at 98 Wood Park Lane, just north of Woodstock. Callers to 911 reported one person trapped inside the structure.

The first companies to arrive found a trailer home in flames, with fire spreading to trailers on each side at 94 Wood Park Lane and 102 Wood Park Lane.

Firefighters verified that there was a trapped occupant but extreme fire conditions kept them from making a rescue. Officials later confirmed one adult male fatality.

Firefighters were able to quickly confirm that two other occupants of the home, an adult female and one child, escaped with no injuries.

Investigation by the Shenandoah County Fire Marshal’s office and the Shenandoah County Sheriff’s Department suggests that the origin of the fire was near the clothes dryer, as reported by the female occupant. She said that they have been experiencing electrical problems with the dryer for some time.

Interviews with witnesses indicate that the deceased was not in the home at the time, and arrived thinking the female and child were still in the trailer. Witnesses say he entered the burning structure to rescue them and was unable to escape. A neighbor, an adult male, also entered the burning structure to assist with the rescue attempt and sustained burn injuries. The neighbor was transported to Shenandoah Memorial Hospital where he was treated and released.

The investigation indicates that both the deceased and the neighbor were unaware that the adult female and child had escaped the burning home. The American Red Cross is providing shelter to both of the adult and the child.

The trailer at 98 Wood Park Lane was totally destroyed.

The neighboring trailer at 102 Wood Park Lane sustained damage, and three adults and two children have been displaced from that trailer. The Red Cross is also taking care of sheltering them and addressing their immediate family needs.

The trailer at 94 Wood Park Lane was unoccupied.

Investigators canvassing the neighborhood for witnesses got additional reports from residents of the trailer park of electrical problems, and the County Building official condemned one other home at 75 Wood Park Lane until maintenance violations are corrected. Occupants of this home are being sheltered by Social Services.

All Fire and EMS units left the scene around 2:45 Saturday morning. The Fire Marshal’s office stayed at the scene throughout the night to continue the investigation.

The response from central and northern battalion companies of Shenandoah County Department of Fire and Rescue included engine companies from Woodstock Fire Department, Edinburg Volunteer Fire Company, Toms Brook Volunteer Fire Department and Strasburg Fire Department and a ladder truck from Woodstock Fire Department. EMS units came from Woodstock Rescue Squad, Shenandoah County Department of Fire and Rescue and Strasburg Rescue Squad.

EDINBURG – Firefighters responded to a fire at Wholesome Foods at 986 South Ox Road near Edinburg on Wednesday night, Jan. 14. No employees were injured in the fire, but one firefighter suffered a minor injury and was taken to the hospital.

The call was dispatched at 8:24 p.m. and Edinburg firefighters found heavy fire in the auto shop section of the Wholesome Foods complex. Their immediate goal was to keep the fire from spreading. Adjacent to the burning building were some nearby tanks that contained several thousand gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel. Also nearby were additional buildings.

The fire was contained to the one building.

The facility is located outside of Edinburg and did not have fire hydrants. Additional tankers were dispatched to help, and fire engines and tanker trucks hauled water to the scene, filling up at three hydrants along Stoney Creek Boulevard in the town of Edinburg. In all, they carrried about 91,000 gallons of water to the fire scene.

Fire crews remained on the scene until after 1 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 15, and the building was expected to continue smoldering.

The Shenandoah County Fire Marshal has begun an investigation into the cause of the fire. Everything so far points to the fire being an accidental fire, according to Fire Marshal David Ferguson. His investigation will continue when he can access the building, which has unstable walls and hot spots in the debris.

A firefighter from Edinburg Volunteer Fire Company uses a saw to cut open a wall for better access to the fire.

CONICVILLE—A fire Saturday morning, Nov. 15, damaged a family business near Conicville. Nobody was injured in the blaze.

Dispatch alerted fire and rescue crews to the fire at 6:12 a.m. When firefighters from Conicville Volunteer Fire Department arrived at 2328 Pepper Road, they found fire burning in a metal-clad garage-style building. They quickly entered the building and began fighting the fire, stopping its spread in the two-story interior.

The building houses the Brillman Company, a family-run business that deals in electrical parts for automotive use.

After extinguishing the fire, firefighters remained on the scene making sure that all smoldering hot spots had been found and dealt with. Units left the scene around 9 a.m. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Along with the Conicville Volunteer Fire Department, units also responded from Mount Jackson Rescue and Fire Department, Orkney Springs Fire and Rescue, Edinburg Volunteer Fire Company, Woodstock Fire Department, New Market Fire and Rescue Department, and Shenandoah County Department of Fire and Rescue.

Timberville firefighters contain a barn fire on Brannertown Lane south of Forestville.

July 27, 2014; 8:15 p.m.

QUICKSBURG, VA—Fire claimed a barn on Brannertown Lane early on Sunday morning, July 27. No animals were in or around the building.

Timberville firefighters are silhouetted by headlights as they contain a barn fire on Brannertown Lane south of Forestville.

When firefighters from Timberville Volunteer Fire Department arrived, fire had already taken control of the building. The firefighters focused on protecting nearby outbuildings, and the fire was contained to the barn, which contained hay and a tractor. Crews let the fire burn itself out as rain moved into the area.

There were no injuries in the fire, which was dispatched at 1:16 a.m. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Fire and rescue units from Timberville, New Market, Mount Jackson, Broadway, and Orkney Springs responded to the blaze, along with Shenandoah County Department of Fire and Rescue.

STRASBURG — Multiple fire and rescue units are at the Mercury Paper plant in Strasburg, where lightning is believed to have sparked a fire in the dust on the rafters. At this time, firefighters believe the fire is out, and they are working to remove smoke from the building and make sure that the fire is entirely out.